Machine-gun feed-belt.



F. H. FRISSELL. MACHINE GUN FEED BELT. APPLICATION mzo uov. 9. 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918..

" UNITED STATES 'PATENT oFrioE.

FRANK H. FRI SSELL, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE RUSSELL MFG.

CO., 01? MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

MACHINE-GUN FEED-BELT.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, FRANK H. F RISSELL,

- a citizenof the United States, residing at tion of its cartridge-receiving pockets open at their inner ends.

Fig. 3 a view in transverse section on the 1ine'3 3 of Fig. 1, on a greatly enlarged scale.

My invention relates to animproved woven machine-gun feed belt, the object being to produce a simple, effective and durable belt constructed with particular reference to insuring the entrance of the pocket-opening needle of a belt-loading machine into the inner ends of its cartridge-receiving pockets to prepare the same for the insertion thereinto of the cartridges.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in a machine-gun feed belt characterized by having one or more strands of spring wire incorporated into its inner edges for normally maintaining the inner ends of its cartridge-receiving pockets sufficiently open for the reception of the pocket-opening needle of a belt-loading machine.

My invention further consists in certain details of construction as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown, I introduce, in the process of weaving the belt, whatever its specific character, a

wire cable consisting of a plurality of strands 4 of spring wire inclosed in a braid ed envelop 5, into the complementary inner edges 6 of a woven feed belt having alternating cartridge-receiving and stay-receiving pockets 7 and 8, the former being adapted in size for the reception of standard cartridges which are not shown, and the latter bein adapted in size for the reception of suita le belt-stays to prevent the belt from Specification of Letters Patent.

collapsing edgewise. As herein shown,1

employ loop-like belt-stays 10 made of wire the inner ends of which are bowed for the Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

. Application filed November 9, 1917. Serial No. 201,050.

reception between them of eyelets 11 by means of which the stays are secured n1 place at points along theinner edge of the belt. At intervals, the belt-stays 10 are replaced by special belt-stays 12 also made of wire and having their inner ends extended to form loop-like fenders 13 which project beyond the ends of the cartridge-bullets when the cartridges are in place in the cartridge receiving pockets 7 These special belt-stays act not only as belt-stays, but also as fenders to prevent the bullets from being engaged at their ends, endangering the displacement of the cartridges in the belt. I would have it understood, however, that I do not limit myself to belt-stays of any particular construction or mode of application, or even to the employment of any belt-stays, since they have nothing to do with my present invention.

' When my improved belt is initially woven,

the inner ends of the cartridge-receiving pockets 7 are substantially closed, as shown in the left hand portion of Fig. '2. However, prior to loading the belt for the first time, the inner ends of the cartridge-receiving pockets are manually opened, as shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 2, whereby the wire cables incorporated into the edges of the belt, are suificiently set outwardly in a regular series of oppositely located outward curves, to thereafter keep the inner ends of the said pockets open enough to insure the entrance of the pocket-opening needle of a belt-loading machine, the said needle being used for preparing the pockets for the cartridges which are entered bullet-end foremost from the outer edge of the belt.

In the actual use of the belt for feeding the cartridges with which it is loaded, and in the handling of the belt for one purpose or another, the cartridge-receiving pockets will become somewhat closed, but the embedded spring wires will normally hold them sufliciently open to insure the entrance of the pocket-opening needle, whereas it frequently happens in woven machine-gun feed belts, that the cartridge-receiving pockets close to such an extent that the needle does not enter them, but passes above or below them, and so fails to prepare the pockets for the reception of the cartridges. It may be d 5 explainedin-this connection, that the loading H machinesare constructed sothat the pocket r opening" needle enters the ca'rtridge -receiv-v ing pockets from the inner edges ofthe belt and fully opensthe pockets thronghoutithe length thereof. Then, as the needlflr'etires;

n'g cartridge-receiving and stay-receiving: pockets butiis notlsolilnited;.f f

Preferably, and as herein".shown rmyr'in Vention is applied ftO belts having alterna't 1 IICIZLIIII y;

cartridge+receiVing pockets, the inner edges of I the 1 belt having: incorporated 1 in them;

" spring.v Wires hichinaintainthe inner ends offethe' eaidrpocketsnormally open to insure-1 i i of meet-blamin needle of a belt-tloadingmachi it A j 2." 'Woven'jma'chine-gun'f feed belt hav ingspring"wire'c'ab'lesincorporated at the l tim'e,i of v eaving, the hel't into j the edges thereof for normally maintaining-the inner acartridge,followsitvery closely from the r ends of the cartridge-receiving pockets of the belt sufli'ciently open to cause the" entry into;themoffthei;p ocket-opening needleof a belt-loading machine; 1

'1 In testimony whereof; I; hare:- signed ithisf' tion in the: presence of :tWo subscribv ingxwitne'sses; V "l; Azwovenimachine gunl feed. belt having" V 5;

five cents 'each, by;eddressingthe Commissioner of Patents, 'washington l).(7."4 N Y 

